Wire-cutting machine.



- No. 664,963. Patented Jan. |90|.

J. w. MILLER.

WIRE CUTTING MACHINE.

(Application filed Apr. 12, 1900.)

(No Model.)

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Q- AQJHJ No. 664,963; Patented Jan. I, I901. J. w. MILLER.

WIRE Cl ITTING MACHINE.

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NITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

JOHN W. MILLER, OF JOLIET, ILLINOIS.

WIRE-CUTTING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 664,963, dated January 1, 1901.

Application filed April 12, 1900. Serial No. 12,635- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN W. MILLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at J oliet', in the county of Will and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wire-Cutting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to apparatus for cutting wire; and has for its object the production of a machine for automatically cutting from spools of wire pieces of acertain predetermined length.

In the embodiment herein shown of this invention an endless belt is provided at intervals upon its outer face with carriages, each having a gripping mechanism and a cutting mechanism for the wire. The cutting mechanism is cam-actuated, so that when the carriages pass a certain point in the supportingframe the cutting mechanism will be operated by a cam secured to said frame.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of a cutting-machine embodying the features of my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same.- Fig. 3 is a plan view of one of the carriages secured to the outer face of the endless belt. Fig. 4 is a front elevation of said carriage. Fig. 5 is a fragmental view of the carriage, showing the wires severed by the cutting-knives. Fig. 6 is a similar view showing the cutting-jaws and the gripping-jaws open to release the Wires. Fig. 7 is an end elevation of the carriage, showing the cam-rollers; and Fig. 8 is a transverse vertical section through the carriage on dotted line 8 8 of Fig. 3.

' Like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

In the construction of this wire-cutting machine I provide a supporting-frame A, having the legs A, the longitudinal top pieces A the transverse pieces A and the cam-supporting piece A. At one end of the supportingframe I provide the channels A in the upper faces of the top pieces A In bearings B upon the longitudinal top pieces A I mount the drive-shaft B, carrying the tight and the loose pulleys B and B respectively,and the pinion B fixed to the shaft B. I also mount upon said top pieces in the bearings C and D the shafts C and D, carrying the pulleys C and D respectively, which pulleys are rigidly mounted upon said shafts, the pulley (3 having the flange C at one side of its face. The gear-wheel O is fixed upon the shaft 0 and meshes with the pinion B on the drive-shaft B, communicating motion from said drive-shaft to'the shaft 0. The bearings D are connected by their integral arms D in order that said bearings may always he in perfect aliuement, they being adjustably movable lengthwise of the frame A by means of the channels A A' belt E lies upon the faces of the pulleys C and D This belt is made up of several sections of belting material, E being short pieces of belt upon which are secured the wire gripping and cutting carriages to be later described and the larger sections E for connecting said sections E together in an endless belt. teuer easily detachable may be used in securing the pieces E and E together. Three or more gripping and cutting carriages may be employed, the distance between the pulleys O and D being adjustable to accord with the length of the endless belt E. The length of the sections E being constant, the length of wire cut is determined by the length of the connecting-sections E The belt travels in the direction of the arrow X, Fig. 2, and the gripping-jaws of the carriages upon the lower side of said belt engage the wire, which latter is drawn into the machine, passing from left to right. The idler-roller F,

-journaled in the frame A, having the spacing-grooves F at suitable intervals, holds the wires F upward and properly spaced, so that each strand will find its proper place in the gripping-jaws of each carriage.

Any suitable form of belt-fas- I 'A curved cam G is secured to the inner side 7 shown in Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8) will now be described. H is the base of. one of said carriages, secured by any suitable means, as by the rivets H, to the outer face of the section E of the belt E. A series of holdingblocks 11*, in this instance five, are fixed to the face of said base H at suitable intervals to be engaged by ,the holding-jaws H pivotally mounted on pins fixed to said base H. The movement of the carriages is in the direction indicated by the arrow K, Fig. 2, and it will be seen that the backward pull of the wires F between the holding-jaws H and their blocks H will cause the jaws H to grip said wires tightly. A rod H is free to slide with relation to the base H, and said rod has a pivotal engagement by means of the pins H with the rear ends of the gripping-jaws H The outer end of this rod H bears the roller H for engaging the cam G and releasing the grip of the jaws H upon the wires F Fig. 6 illustrates the position of the holding-jaws 11 when in their releasing position, the roller II being in contact with the cam G. A coilspring H is secured at one end to a pin H on the sliding rod H and at its other end to the gripping-jaw H near its point of contact with the wire W, the tendency of said spring being to cause the gripping-jaw to engage the wire. Upon the opposite edgeof the base H are secured a series of cutting-knives H one for each gripping-jaw, and consequently for each strand of wire. These knives H are secured by the screws H to the edge of the base H. Corresponding knives H are attached to the knife-bar H", which bar is adapted to slide with relation to said base H. An operatinglever H is pivotally mounted on an arm H, extending from the base H, and bears at its outer end the roller H, which latter is intended to engage the cam G to close the cutting-knives and sever the strands of wire F between them. An elongated opening H intermediate the ends of the operating-lever H provides a means for making a pivotal connection between the outer end of said operating-lever and the knife-bar H and aspring H holds said cutting-jaws normally open.

In operation five spools of wire,(not shown,) of suitable gage for the purpose intended, are placed in convenient positions to pass the strands of wire composing said spools through an annealing means (not here shown) and, if necessary, through a cooling means and a straightening means (not here shown) to the idler spacing-roller F, where each of said five wires F assumes a place in one of the spacin g-grooves F of said roller. The ends of the strands F are then carried forward and placed between the gripping-jaws H and the holding-blocks H of one of the carriagesas, for instance, the carriage designated as No. 1, Fig. 2. Power being-applied to the machine either by hand or by belt over the pulley B said carriage holding the ends of the wire strands is moved forward in the direction of the arrow X, Fig. 2. As the second carriage (No. 2) mounted upon its section E of the belt E is brought into a position where the roller 11 engages the cam G its holdingjaws H are opened and the strands of wire F euter the space between said jaws and the holding-blocks H As soon as the carriage has advanced sufficiently for the roller H to leave the cam G the springs II draw said holding-jaws into contact with said strands, the backward pull of the wire being sufficient to cause the jaws to engage the I strands tightly. As the carriage (No. 2) advances the roller H engages the cam G, causing the knife-bar to be reciprocated and the knives H and H to sever the strands F between them. severed the first carriage, (No. 1,) passingin the direction of the arrow X, Fig. 2, reaches a point where the roller H engages the cam G releasing the grip of the jaws H of said forward carriage (No. 1) upon the forward ends of the wire strands, permitting them to drop downward from the machine. Carriage No. 1 now passes around the pulley D, and carriage No. 2 proceeds in the direction of the arrow X, Fig. 2, drawing a new length of wire after it into the machine. Whe said carriageNo. 2 approaches the rear end of the machine, carriage No. 3 is passing around the pulley C and the roller H of the latter carriage engaging the cam G opens its grippingjaws H for the reception of the wire strands F As said carriage N o. 3 proceeds the said jaws H close upon the strands F, the roller H encounters the cam G, shears the wire strands between the knives H and H, and as this occurs the roller H on carriage No. 2 engages the cam G and releases the hold of the gripping-jaws H on the forward end of the strands previously gripped by the jawsof said carriage No. 2.

When it is desirable to change the length of the strands cut by the machine, the belt E is removed from the pulleys C and D, the sections E taken from the belt, and sections of belting of a different length substituted. After the belt E is made up the distance between the pulleys C and D is adjusted to accommodate its length by moving the shaft D and its bearings D backward or forward in the channels A in the top pieces A of the supporting-frame A.

It is clear that any number of strands F may be operated upon in such a machine as the one herein shown and described, it being only necessary to provide carriages having the required number of gripping and cutting jaws.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a wire-cutting machine, in combination, a supporting frame; two rotatable wheels mounted on said frame; an endless belt for said wheels; a carriage on the outer face of said belt, which carriage is provided with a series of gripping-jaws pivoted with relation to said carriage; a slidable actuating rod for said gripping-jaws, said jaws having At the instant that said strands are so a pivotal co'nneetion with said slidable actuating-rod; a slidable knife-bar; aseries of cutting-knives mounted on said bar; a cam on the supporting-frame for sliding the rod to move the gripping-jaws; and a cam for sliding the knife-bar.

2. In a wire-cutting machine, in combination, a supporting-frame; two shafts journaled thereon; a pulley on each of said shafts; an endless belt for said pulleys; a carriage on the outer face of said belt, which carriage is provided with a series of gripping-jaws pivoted with relation to said carriage; a slidable actuating-rod for said gripping-jaws, said jaws having a pivotal connection with said rod; aspring for holding each of said jaws in a gripping position; a slidable knife-bar; a series of cutting-knives mounted on said bar; a series of stationary cut-tingknives fixed with relation to the carriage; a cam on the supporting-frame for sliding the rod to move the gripping-jaws; and a cam for sliding the knife-bar.

3. In a wire-cutting machine, in combination, a supporting-frame; two'shafts journaled thereon; a pulley on each of said shafts; a belt for said pulleys; three carriages on the outer face of said belt, each of which carriages is provided with a series of grippingjaws pivoted with relation to said carriage; a slidable actuating-rod for said gripping-jaws, said jaws having a pivotal connection with said rod; a slidable knife-bar mounted on said carriage; a series of cuttingknives mounted on said bar; a series of cuttingknives fixed with relation to said carriage; a cam'on the supporting-frame for sliding the rod to move the gripping-jaws; and a cam'for sliding the knife-bar.

4. Ina wire-cutting machine, in combination, a supporting-frame having a drive-shaft and a driven shaft rotatably mounted thereon; a shaft having an adjustable connection with said frame; a'pulley upon said lastmentioned shaft, and a pulley upon said driven shaft; a belt for said pulleys, which belt is composed of several sections joined together at their ends; three carriages seen red on the outer face of said belt to certain of said sections, each of which carriages is provided with a series of [gripping-jaws pivoted with relation to said carriage; a slidable actuating-rod for said gripping-jaws, which jaws have a pivotal connection with said rod; a slidable knife-bar; a series of cutting-knives mounted on said bar; a cam on the supportin g-frame for sliding the rod to move the gripfing-jaws; and a cam for sliding the knifebar.

5. In a wire-cutting machine, in combination, a supporting-frame; a drive-shaft journaled thereon, having a pinion fixed on said shaft; a driven shaft having a gear-wheel meshing with said pinion; a shaft mounted on said frame, adjnstably movable with relation to said driven shaft; a pulley on the driven shaft, and a pulley on said adj ustablymovable shaft; a belt for said pulleys, which. belt is composed of several sections fastened together at their ends; a carriage on each of three of said sections, which carriage is provided with a series of gripping-jaws pivoted with relation to said carriage; a slidable actuating-rod for said gripping-jaws, said jaws having a pivotal connection with said rod; a spring for holding each of said jaws in a gripping position; a slidable knife-bar; a series of cutting-knives mounted on said bar; a series of stationary cutting-knives fixed with relation to the carriage; a cam on the sup-18o porting frame for sliding the rod to move the grippingjaws and a cam for sliding the knife-bar.

6. In a wire-cutting machine, in combination, a supporting-frame; two shafts journaled thereon; a pulley on each of said shafts; an endless belt for said pulleys; a carriage on the outer face of said belt, which carriage is provided with a series of holdingblocks;

a series of gripping-jaws pivoted with relation to said carriage; a slidable actuatingrod for said gripping-jaws. said jaws having a pivotal connection with said rod; a spring extending between a point on said actuating rod and each of said gripping-jaws; a roller mounted at the outer end of said actuatingrod; a slidable knife-bar; a series of cuttingknives mounted on said bar; a series of stationary cutting-knives fixed with relation to the carriage; an operating-lever pivotally mounted with relation to said, carriage, and having a connection with said knife-bar; a roller on said operating-lever; and two cams on the supporting-frame for engaging the roller on the actuating-rod and the roller on 105 KOO ' the operating-lever, respectively. 

